wicked games | aemond targaryen

𝚜𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗

THE WATCHING EYE of the weeping tree stared down at Valaena as she flipped the page of the book in her lap, inhaling a deep breath as her eyes stared warily at the words that seemed to be screaming back at her. She had sat in the gardens every day for a week, struggling to read through the thick pages her uncle gifted her. Rhaenrya hadn't joined her for almost a fortnight, being bedridden as the day of her expected labor approached.

"Visenya... was... as... much...," Valaena stumbled through her words at a slow pace, trying to remember the letters and their pronunciations that Viserys had taught her before sending her on her way with a simple task of reading the book.

She paused at a word she did not recognize, glancing up at the leaves that rustled in the wind. It was almost as if they were offering her some sort of encouragement, or perhaps just mocking her inability to read such a simple sentence. She wasn't sure which.

Valaena released an exasperated sigh as she returned to her reading, finding where she left off as she squinted at the daunting words before her.

"Warr- Warrior," Valaena managed to stutter out, her fingers tracing over the uneven script as she tried to remember Viserys' calm and patient voice as he taught her only early that morning.

"Warrior," Valaena reinforced, much more confident in the word as her voice conveyed a mix of determination and frustration in her stubbornness to continue on. "As Aegon and... and..."

Her voice and newfound confidence faltered as she hit another word she didn't recognize. The letters seemed to blur together as she blinked rapidly, willing them to make sense.

"And what?" she muttered to herself, frustration bubbling to the surface at her lack of literacy.

Valaena clenched her fists, crumping the edges of the pages slightly before forcing herself to relax. The book was precious, a gift from her uncle for her studies that he entrusted her with. She couldn't let him down, much less damage the book he gave her.

She was so absorbed that she didn't notice the figure approaching until a shadow fell across her book. Startled, she glanced up to find her sworn protector standing there with the same emotionless look on his face.

"My lady, I apologize for interrupting," Ser Donnel bowed his head humbly, but Valaena did not need his apologies as she quickly shut the book in her lap with a grateful sigh. Her studies could wait another day. "Princess Rhaenyra has sent word that she has given birth. She has requested your presence to meet the babe."

"Rhaenyra gave birth?" Valaena repeated with a cry, leaping from her seated position on the grass. Her heart raced with excitement as she hurriedly gathered her things, handing the book to her knight. "Thank you, Ser Donnel. Let us go quickly then."

Valaena hurried through the gardens, Ser Donnel following only a few short paces behind as her thoughts wandered to the new babe. She wondered if the baby was a boy or a girl, and what name Rhaenrya had decided on. As long as the new baby wasn't as annoying as Jacaerys, Valaena didn't care what the answer to either of those questions was.

The servants were chattering in the corridors loudly, no doubt about the newborn addition to the family. She only paused briefly when she caught wind of "dark hair" and "bastard" thrown around carelessly. Valaena tried not to worry about mindless gossip, but she could only remain oblivious to so much. She was a child, but not an idiot.

From the gossip of the Red Keep and her conversations with the princess, anyone would be able to put together that Rhaenrya was having an affair with the Commander of the City Watch. Valaena didn't mind the man, always receiving a genuine smile and nod from the muscular man much unlike the glares and gossip that followed her as a bastard Targaryen. But she knew none of that mattered to the people of Kings Landing.

Valaena tried to shake the creeping thoughts from her mind as the faint cries of a newborn filled her ears. She approached the doors, nodding to the guards who opened the door without hesitation as they allowed her to enter while her sworn protector remained behind.

"Valaena," Rhaenyra smiled over from across the room, standing over a cradle with her new baby wailing from within. Jacaerys had already joined them as Valaena tried to hide her distaste as she found the annoying brat already clinging to Rhaenrya's dress. "Come, meet your new cousin."

Valaena's face softened as she stepped closer, catching sight of the newest addition to the Targaryen family. Although wrapped in a soft blanket, his small face peeked out as doe eyes dark as chocolate stared up at them. His crying had ceased momentarily as he babbled nonsense, tiny hands reaching towards Valaena as she felt her heart melt at the sight.

"His name is Lucerys," Valaena's eyes snapped up to meet her cousin's, who stared sheepishly back at her. "I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not," Valaena replied as she turned her attention back to the baby. "Lucerys is a beautiful name. I'm sure my mother would appreciate the name being put to good use."

The baby seemed to have understood what she was saying, or at least that she was complimenting him, for he had suddenly ceased crying and was staring up at her with big, wide eyes that only made her heart melt.

"He's so cute," Valaena cooed at the baby, holding her finger out and allowing the new baby to wrap his tiny hands around it as he curiously stared at her.

"Like me" Jace butted in, puffing out his chest proudly as Valaena was annoyingly reminded of his presence. She scrunched up her nose, glancing between Jace and the new baby once before shaking her head.

"No."

Valaena could've sword she heard Rhaenrya snort, quickly covered up by a convenient cough as Jace's face morphed into a pout. She ignored it, turning her attention back to the new baby who looked up at her with adorable doe eyes.

"Jace, why don't you go find your father and tell him the news?" Rhaenrya suggested, watching as her son's face brightened at the idea as Valaena's insults were soon forgotten. He ran off, leaving the two girls in the silence of the room.

"You know," Rhaenrya started as she approached the cradle with an exhausted smile. "You shouldn't be so harsh to him, he's only a child."

"Hmm?" Valaena half-heartedly replied, delaying a few more moments before turning her head to meet Rhaenrya's gaze. It was clear she had not heard what her cousin had said, too enthralled by the baby.

"Jace," Rhaenrya reiterated, watching the confusion wash across the young girl's face. "There aren't many children around the Red Keep, he only wants a friend."

"Oh," Valaena muttered as she turned back to the cradle, watching as Lucerys sleepily blinked his eyes as he began to doze off. "I guess I hadn't thought about it that way."

"I know he can be a bit exciting at times, but he's lonely too," Rhaenrya continued, pausing as she reached out to grab Valaena's hand. "And, well, I think you are too."

Valaena didn't say anything to Rhaenrya's words at first, but she felt her heart skip a beat in her chest. She hadn't thought about it before, the loneliness that plagued her. It was always about survival down in Flea Bottom and ever here was a type of survival. The kind of proving her worth and that she belonged, that she could be loved.

She had never had friends before.

"I suppose... I could be less harsh," Valaena reluctantly agreed with a shrug. Jace was only a few years younger than her, annoying to be sure, but she would do anything Rhaenrya asked of her.

Rhaenyra smiled, squeezing Valaena's hand as she peered over the cradle to where Lucerys lay sleeping.

"I'm glad he is asleep," Rhaenrya sighed as she reached down and stroked the baby's head. "Jace would not stop screaming for days, I was afraid I would lose all my hearing if he had continued."

"I believe it," Valaena snorted, the pair laughing as they watched Lucerys sleep peacefully.

At that moment, Valaena just wanted time to freeze so she could live in that moment forever. Even as the laughter faded into a comfortable silence, in that quiet room, she almost felt as though she belonged. As if this wasn't just a home she was intruding on.

For a brief moment, it was almost as if this could become her home.